Conventional systems for suppressing a fire onboard a vehicle may dispense suppressing agents, e.g., heptafluoropropane and/or sodium bicarbonate, in a similar manner. The primary differences among these conventional systems are in the number of components that each system includes and in the quantity of suppressing agent that each system contains. These conventional systems may also include reserve or secondary systems that are identical to the primary systems.
Conventional automatic systems may be used to protect an area, e.g., a passenger compartment of a vehicle, against slow growth and rapidly developing petroleum, oil, and lubricant (POL) type fires by utilizing a combination of heptafluoropropane and sodium bicarbonate.